On February 9, 2006, Army veteran George "Buddy" Williams was brutally beaten and stabbed in his own home in the 1800 block of North 9th Street in Fort Smith,
There was no sign of forced entry, and a kitchen knife with a bent handle was found at the scene, believed to be the murder weapon. Unfortunately, no viable fingerprints were recovered from the knife, and the only item reported missing was a VHS/DVD player.
Around 1 a.m., Buddy's wife, Phyllis, returned home to find him and immediately called the police.
Although there have been discussions about potential suspects, no concrete leads have emerged. A witness reported seeing someone on a bicycle with a similar DVD player under his arm in the neighborhood earlier that night.
Eighteen years have passed, and Buddy's family, including his son Eric, continues to seek justice.
Buddy, who served two tours in Vietnam and a tour in Desert Storm, deserves answers. The Fort Smith Police Department is still investigating the case and urges anyone with information to come forward.
As of recent reports, there are 12 unsolved homicides in Fort Smith since 1985. Some of these cases date back several decades, and despite ongoing efforts by the police department, they remain open.
The oldest case dates back to 1979, involving the murder of Lois Ensey.
If you know anything about this crime, please contact the Fort Smith Police Department at 479-709-5100.
